And with good reason! Even among the Pavilion’s diverse offerings within Biergarten (a Table Service buffet complete with festive entertainment), Sommerfest (the Counter Service spot with NUDEL GRATINNNNN), and Bier Carts and Hovels, Karamell-Küchefocuses on one thing, and one thing only:

And speaking of different iterations… I noticed a change to one of my favorite golden treats on my last visit when I spotted a sign for the Caramel Butter Bar. It was front and center ahead of what looked suspiciously like the old Caramel Covered Shortbread — also previously known as the Chewy Caramel Bar.

Caramel Butter Bar

I wasn’t super concerned at first because this particular snack has been known by a few different names over the years, but basically remained a dependable combo of thick caramel poured atop and in between layers of buttery shortbread.

I figured I was good to go because the “new” Caramel Butter Bar looks… virtually identical to its predecessor. See?

Caramel Shortbread

It was sporting less of the shortbread topping back then, but otherwise? Twinsies. So, I asked a Cast Member about the update, and she reported that there’s now a layer of caramel fudge in the middle.

But if this is true, it was completely indecipherable in my Caramel Butter Bar.

Caramel Fudge Center?

What IS different about the Caramel Butter Bar, though, is that it’s super duper, duper, duper buttery… to the point that it was greasy.

OK, listen. I am THE LAST PERSON ON THE PLANET to say that something has too much butter in it. When I go to the movies, I specifically ask them to only fill the popcorn up halfway so that I can add enough butter, shake it all down, and then add more butter. And more. So I am as astonished as you are that I’m going to say… there was too much butter.

The shortbread was crumbly and clumpy, like there was too much butter mixed in and not enough sugary, bready goodness.

Caramel Butter Bar

The caramel is as lovely as ever, but I could do without the grease slick in my mouth. It’s still caramel and shortbread and you can’t go too terribly wrong with those components. But texturally, it was an abomination. If you give it a try, let us know what you think!

I KNEW something was different when we went the week of thanksgiving. My favorite Disney snack was always the caramel shortbread bar and when I got the butter bar this time around it tasted almost bland and overly buttered. The shortbread used to have a crunch and almost a bit of a sweet and salty tone but now it’s just overpowered by a greasy butter film left on the tongue. I hope they bring the original back because this new version left me disappointed.

When they first opened, everything was fresh and delicious. The last two times we’ve spent $30-40 on treats to snack on back at the room and everything was stale. I’ve noticed both times the cast member didn’t get the items from the case. They went to the back room to get items for everyone’s orders, which makes me think because they’re so busy they make a lot of items far in advance? I don’t know. I just haven’t been in a hurry to return.

Every time we’ve had a cookie or brownie they’ve been incredibly dry. Not sure if they were old or just dry from the start. The pecan bar, caramel corn and shortbread have been good though.

Kimberly, I can’t recall the last time I’ve seen them take items out of the case – I always see them turn around and get them off large stacks of trays behind them. As busy as they generally are, you’d think the items would be fresh, even if they make a lot at once but I agree that some items frequently seem stale.

I had the new version in November and BOY WAS I DISAPPOINTED. I went to the Germany pavilion for the sole purpose of getting a “chewy bar” and instead I got an awful square of greasy grossness that tasted like a gob of butter rolled in crumbs and coated in what had the appearance of caramel, but I couldn’t even taste the caramel through the butter. So awful. Please let us know if they bring back the old version of the chewy bar – it used to be my favorite treat.

Nooooo! I’m usually a chocoholic, but the caramel shortbread has been my go-to at Karamell-Kuche since the first time I tried it. It was so good. I’m incredibly disappointed to hear they changed and potentially ruined it. Seriously, who’d have thought more butter would be a bad thing?

I LOVE the Caramel Pecan Bar so I decided to try the Caramel Butter Bar a couple of weeks ago and I was incredible disappointed. And I had to go looking for napkins because it was SO greasy. First and last time for me.

Kimberly H — Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I’ll get a few things on my next visit and pay more attention to whether there’s a stale factor for me. (The brownies always seem to be bad, but I’ve had good luck with the others except the stroopwaffel — that was AWFUL.)

I told myself that AJ had to be wrong. NO WAY would they ruin my all-time fave Disney snack and the one thing that gets me through my two-a-day December workouts. Many hours spent on a treadmill to build up my “Disney Deficit” 10-lb weight loss plan so I can eat guilt-free on vacation.

Never doubt AJ.

It was horrible, as previously described. (But also as AJ suggested, the Pecan Bar was a pleasant surprise. Thicker than the Butter Bar and impossible to cut for sharing, but not a bad Consolation Prize.)

I just came back from Epcot and I’m happy to report that my bar wasn’t greasy. I’m fact, the shortbread crust was crisp and slightly crumbly. This was my fist time trying it and it didn’t disappoint. I’m going to try to recreate these bits of deliciousness at home!

I am astounded at the blasphemy here. I was just sitting around with some family and we were discussing how much better these are than the original. We even went as far as to say if given the new butter bar and an original we would throw the original in the trash. Please try for yourself and decide. By the way both versions are still available.